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Material Deep Dive

Recycled Viscose

Recycled viscose scores 81/100, a meaningful improvement over conventional viscose (68) thanks to a lower carbon footprint and reduced pollution from using textile waste instead of virgin wood pulp.

Regenerated

Recycled

End of Life

2 months

100/100
Chemical Use

Moderate

60/100
Pollution

Moderate

60/100
Water Usage

545 L/kg

98/100
Carbon Footprint

2.5 kg CO₂/kg

84/100
Considerations

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Still relies on the carbon disulphide chemical process, which has environmental and worker safety concerns

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Fibre quality can be lower than virgin viscose due to shorter recycled fibre lengths — often blended for durability

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Supply is very limited — only around 0.5% of man-made cellulosic fibres currently use recycled content

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Environmental data for recycled viscose is still emerging, so impact claims should be taken with some caution

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Price tends to be higher than conventional viscose due to limited scale

Strengths

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Lower carbon footprint than virgin viscose by using textile waste as feedstock instead of wood pulp

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Keeps textile waste out of landfill and reduces pressure on forests for new cellulose

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Fully biodegradable — no microplastic shedding, breaks down naturally in weeks

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Very low water footprint compared to most natural and synthetic fibres

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Same soft, breathable, drape-friendly feel as conventional viscose

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Look for GRS or RCS certification for verified recycled content

Carbon Footprint Analysis

84/100

Recycled Viscose produces approximately 2.5 kg CO₂-equivalent per kilogram of fiber.

The Data

Carbon Footprint

2.5 kg CO₂/kg

FSI Carbon Score

84/100

Sources: Higg Materials Sustainability Index, Textile Exchange Preferred Fiber Report

Sustainability Breakdown

Microplastic risk

​

Care level

Delicate

Available certifications

grs, rcs, oeko_tex_100, eu_ecolabel

Key properties

breathable, soft, drapes well, moisture-wicking, biodegradable, silky lustre, lower environmental impact than virgin viscose

Common uses

dresses, blouses, linings, lightweight apparel, basics, knits, home textiles

Also known as

recycled rayon, recycled regenerated cellulose, post-consumer viscose, Circulose, REFIBRA

Recycled Viscose quick guide

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